Library Notes

During my residency at the Tavistock and Portman I've made a few collections of objects and photographs, one of which being these notes and bookmarks found in books in the library (with the help of a willing librarian I might add!) I find them interesting; random evidence of the people who leafed through and pored over the words and pages.

Mended Walls

During the summer I worked with children from the Fostered and Adopted Care and Kinship team 'mending' cracks in the building with bright coloured plasticine, inspired by the ancient Japanese art of Kintsukuroi where broken objects are mended with gold, to highlight and celebrate the break as a mark of resilience and a celebration of the object's history.

Celebrate the Cracks!

'Mended' biscuits made with children receiving therapy at the Tavistock Centre, inspired by the Japanese philosophy of Wabi Sabi and the art of Kinsukuroi, where a broken bowl is mended and the crack filled with gold as a celebration and mark of resilience. Wabi Sabi is about accepting imperfection and the idea that nothing lasts for ever and the inevitability of knocks and bumps along the way.

The Repair Project

The Repair Project is an art project at the Tavistock Centre led by artist in residence, Rachael Causer. 

The Repair Project explores creative ways of mending and the reasons we might choose to mend rather than throw away. In exploring stories behind the worn out garments and objects we choose to patch, darn and fix, the project hopes to create an archive of ‘mended things’.

The act of mending itself is interesting. While sewing, the repetition and slow nature of stitching is mindful, giving us space to think and time to slow down. It supports our wellbeing, calming and creating time for reflection as well as providing visual, tactile and emotional stimulation. It is proven to support pain or anxiety management and encourages repetitive, co-ordinated, bi-lateral movement.

Kelly Lambert, neuroscientist and author of Lifting Depression, said: 

“When you knit a sweater or plant a garden, when you prepare a meal or simply repair a lamp, you are bathing your brain in feel-good chemicals and creating a kind of mental vitamin”. 

She talks about the benefits to our emotional health of purposeful tasks and work with our hands. 

The Repair Project aims to explore the benefits of working creatively with our hands and to understand more about what we mean by ‘repair’. 

Mending workshops

Mending workshops are held every Wednesday, 2-4pm, throughout June 2016 at the Tavistock Centre. Please bring items to mend. Everyone very welcome!

The FOUND Embroidery

The FOUND Embroidery is finished and hanging in the waiting room on the ground floor at the Tavistock. I spent many happy hours sewing in the corridor and talking to service users, staff, students and visitors.

The FOUND exhibition

Towards the end of 2015, artist in residence, Rachael Causer, put postcards and postboxes in the waiting rooms and public spaces of the Tavistock, inviting service users, staff and visitors to write about something they had ‘found’. The project explored the meaning of things to be ‘found’ in the process of seeking help from the Tavistock, piecing together stories and experiences, feelings and emotions. 

Some messages are positive and hopeful, while others comment on lives that are not easy. She embroidered messages from the postcards and worked with service users and staff to create two patchworks responding to the theme ‘found’. 

The patchworks are located in the main corridor and waiting room on the ground floor, and this series of large photographs produced in collaboration with Andy Wiener and the postcards are found in the library corridor exhibition space.

The exhibition runs from 16th May-22nd June 2016. Monday-Friday 9-6pm

Private View Friday 13th May 5-8pm.

Symposium and talk Tuesday 14th June 5.30-7pm

Tavistock Centre, 120, Belsize Lane, London NW3 5BA

The FOUND Patchwork is finished!

At last the FOUND patchwork is finished and hung on the wall at the Tavistock Centre!
Thank you to everybody who took part in making it - I've had many enjoyable hours talking and sewing with you all.